10 WWE Wrestlers Who NEED A Big Push After Royal Rumble 2023

8. Ricochet

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WWE.com

From an action standpoint, the men's Royal Rumble was only solid until the last 10 minutes.

Dominated by stories - stories that peaked last year, mostly - the genre at times feel stuck in a different era. Watching a bunch of wrestlers slowly try to tip one another over the top rope isn't the same now those wrestlers aren't over-muscled behemoths. Wrestling, for better or worse, is more exciting and dynamic in this era - the Rumble however remains a stodgy affair in that middle third.

Ricochet caught the eye with a spectacular aerial duel opposite Logan Paul, in spite or even because of how dumb it was. He generated as loud a pop for that high spot as virtually every countdown reveal.

This should be rewarded, as should his body of work in general. The problem is that the TV character is still a complete geek; his jocular patter is obnoxious, and he is reduced, literally and figuratively, through his association with Braun Strowman.

If Triple H is intent on re-elevating his midcard titles - and has grander plans for GUNTHER deeper into the year - Ricochet is a great choice to steward the Intercontinental championship the way it used to be. For literally decades, that thought was a woefully naive pipe dream.

Triple H, for his many faults, has allowed his fanbase to believe in that again.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!